Ship structure

ABSTRACT

A ship structure includes a ship hull formed of independently inflatable left and right garboard strakes, left and right side strakes, a floor plate and upper stretcher plates connected between the left and right side strakes, a portable box arranged at the rear side of the ship hull, a drive unit steering control motor mounted at a mount of the portable box, a rotary wheel supported on the mount of the portable box and rotatable by the drive unit steering control motor, a drive unit supported on the rotary wheel, a propeller suspending outside of the ship hull and rotatable by the drive unit to propel the ship hull on water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to ship technology and more particularly, to a ship structure of the ship hull comprises left and right garboard strakes, left and right side strakes, connection strips joining the left and right garboard strakes and the side strakes, a floor plate horizontally connected between the left and right side strakes above the left and right garboard strakes, lower and upper stretcher plates connected between the left and right side strakes above the floor plate, wherein the left and right garboard strakes, side strakes and lower and upper stretcher plates are inflatable fabric plate members each defining therein an independent air chamber.

2. Description of the Related Art

The hull of a ship may be made using steel, wood, glass fiber or rubber. Steel is commonly selected for making a hull for a big scale ship. Wood and glass fiber may be selected for making a hull for a small or medium scale ship. However, a ship made using steel, wood or glass fiber has the drawbacks of heavy weight and high cost. Further, a steel, wooden or glass fiber ship is not collapsible. Using rubber can make an inflatable boat.

Conventional inflatable rubber boards simply define therein one single air chamber. When the air chamber leaks, the inflatable boat will sink soon. Further, the bottom shell of a conventional inflatable boat is a flat shell, not facilitating breaking waves. In consequence, the speed of a conventional inflatable boat is limited. Further, a conventional inflatable boat may turn over easily when sailing at a high speed. Further, the drive unit for use in a conventional inflatable board is a fuel injection engine for driving a propeller directly. A fuel injection engine consumes much fuel oil during operation. It cannot be used to store compressed gas for inflating the inflatable boat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a ship structure, which uses a collapsible ship hull that defines therein multiple independent air chambers separately inflatable.

To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a ship structure comprises a ship hull. The ship hull comprises left and right garboard strakes arranged at a bottom side, left and right side strakes symmetrically arranged at opposing left and right sides, a plurality of connection strips joining the left and right garboard strakes and the side strakes, a floor plate horizontally connected between the left and right side strakes and suspending above the left and right garboard strakes, a lower stretcher plate and an upper stretcher plate connected between the left and right side strakes and suspending above the floor plate at different elevations. The left and right garboard strakes, the side strakes and the lower and upper stretcher plates are inflatable fabric plate members each comprising two cover layers peripherally sealed, an air chamber surrounded by the peripherally sealed cover layers, and a plurality of fiber strips evenly distributed in the air chamber and connected between the two cover layers.

Further, the left and right garboard strakes are joined together, forming a bottom shell of the ship hull. The bottom shell has a substantially V-shaped front part for breaking the waves and a flat rear part for floating on water.

The ship structure further comprises a portable box arranged at a rear side o f the ship hull, a drive unit steering control motor mounted at a mount outside the portable box, a rotary wheel supported on the mount of the portable box and rotatable by the drive unit steering control motor, a drive unit supported on the rotary wheel, a propeller suspending outside the ship hull and rotatable by the drive unit to propel the ship hull on water. The drive unit comprises a cowling cowl, a fuel injection engine mounted inside the cowling cowl, a control unit, an air compressor operable by the fuel injection engine subject to the control of the control unit, and a pneumatic motor rotatable by the air compressor. Further, the ship hull is equipped with a plurality of high pressure gas cylinders that are accommodated in between the left and right garboard strakes and the floor plate for storing the high pressure gas produced by the air compressor and inflating the air chambers of the left and right garboard strakes, side strakes and lower and upper stretcher plates. The drive unit further comprises a first valve connected between the pneumatic motor and the air compressor for the input of the high pressure gas produced by the air compressor into the pneumatic motor subject to the control of the control unit, and a second valve connected between the pneumatic motor and the high pressure gas cylinders and controlled by the control unit to let the high pressure gas produced by the air compressor be stored in the high pressure gas cylinders.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a ship hull of a ship structure in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is another exploded view of the ship hull of the ship structure in accordance with the present invention, illustrating fiber strips evenly connected between the two cover layers of each of the left and right garboard strakes, side strakes, upper stretcher plate and lower stretcher plate.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ship structure in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional side view of the ship hull of the ship structure in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4-1 is an enlarged sectional view of a part of the ship hull of the ship structure in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic front view of the ship hull of the ship structure in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the present invention, illustrating the arrangement of the portable box, drive unit steering control motor, a rotary wheel, drive unit and propeller at the tail (stern) of the ship hull.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 6, illustrating the configuration of the drive unit.

FIG. 8 is a top plain view illustrating the internal arrangement of the drive unit of the ship structure in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic elevational view of the portable box of the ship structure in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, a ship structure in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a ship hull that comprises left and right garboard strakes 1 arranged at the bottom side, left and right side strakes 2 symmetrically arranged at opposing left and right sides, a plurality of connection strips 5 joining the left and right garboard strakes 1 and the side strakes 2, a lower stretcher plate 4 horizontally connected between the left and right side strakes 2 at a front side above the left and right garboard strakes 1, an upper stretcher plate 3 horizontally connected between the left and right side strakes 2 and spaced above the lower stretcher plate 4 and defining an opening 33 for the mounting of a cabin (not shown), and a floor plate 43 horizontally connected between the left and right side strakes 2 and suspending between the left and right garboard strakes 1 and the lower stretcher plate 4.

The left and right garboard strakes 1, the side strakes 2, the upper stretcher plate 3 and the lower stretcher plate 4 are inflatable fabric plate members each comprising two cover layers 11;21;31;41 peripherally sealed, an air chamber 12;22;32;42 surrounded by the peripherally sealed cover layers 11;21;31;41, and a plurality of fiber strips 6 evenly distributed in the air chamber 12;22;32;42 and connected between the two cover layers 11;21;31;41 to reinforce the structural strength (see FIG. 4-1). The fiber strips 6 in each of the left and right garboard strakes 1, the side strakes 2, the upper stretcher plate 3 and the lower stretcher plate 4 divide the air chamber of the respective strake or plate into multiple air cells in air communication with one another. Thus, when the air chambers 12;22;32;42 are inflated, the ship has a high strength and can carry a heavy load to sail on river, lake or sea. Further, even if one of the air chambers 12;22;32;42 leaks, the ship still will not sink. Further, the left and right garboard strakes 1 are joined together, forming the ship skull's bottom shell that has a substantially V-shaped front part 13 that facilitates breaking the waves and a flat rear part 14 that facilitates sailing of the ship with less resistance (see FIG. 5). Further, the air chambers 12;22;32;42 can also be filled with a foam material.

The ship structure further comprises a portable box 7 arranged at the tail (stern) of the ship hull thereof, a drive unit steering control motor 72 mounted at a mount 71 outside the portable box 7, a rotary wheel 73 rotatable by the drive unit steering control motor 72, a drive unit 8 supported on the rotary wheel 73, a propeller 74 suspending below the mount 71 outside of the ship hull of the ship structure and rotatable by the drive unit 8. The drive unit 8 comprises a cowling cowl 81, a fuel injection engine 82, a control unit 83, an air compressor 84, and a pneumatic motor 85. When starting the fuel injection engine 82, the air compressor 84 will be driven to produce high pressure gas for driving the pneumatic motor 85 to rotate the propeller 74, thereby propelling the ship forwards. Further, a first valve 851 is connected between the pneumatic motor 85 and the air compressor 84 for the input of the high pressure gas produced by the air compressor 84 into the pneumatic motor 85 subject to the control of the control unit 83; a second valve 861 is connected between the pneumatic motor 85 and the high pressure gas cylinders 86 in between the left and right garboard strakes 1 and the floor plate 43 and controlled by the control unit 83 to let the high pressure gas produced by the air compressor 84 be stored in the high pressure gas cylinders 86. Further, if the air pressure of each of the air chambers 12;22;32;42 is insufficient, the respective one of the air chambers 12;22;32;42 can be inflated with the high pressure gas cylinders 86, assuring a high level of sailing safety (see FIG. 3, FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8). Further, by means of controlling the drive unit steering control motor 72 to rotate the rotary wheel 73 clockwise or counter-clockwise, the drive unit 8 can be rotated to the desired angle, achieving steering control of the ship. Further, when air is fully discharged out of the air chambers 12;22;32;42, the ship hull can be collapsed and received in the portable box 7, facilitating storage or delivery (see FIG. 9).

In conclusion, the invention provides a ship structure, which is inflatable and strong, facilitating steering control. The ship structure defines therein multiple independent air chambers separately inflatable. Therefore, the ship structure does not sink even one of the multiple independent air chambers leaks. Further, high pressure air cylinders are provided in the bottom side inside of the ship structure and can be used to inflate each of the multiple independent air chambers.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims. 

What the invention claimed is:
 1. A ship structure comprising a ship hull, said ship hull comprising left and right garboard strakes arranged at a bottom side, left and right side strakes symmetrically arranged at opposing left and right sides, a plurality of connection strips joining said left and right garboard strakes and said side strakes, and a floor plate horizontally connected between said left and right side strakes and suspending above said left and right garboard strakes, said left and right garboard strakes and said side strakes being inflatable fabric plate members each comprising two cover layers peripherally sealed, an air chamber surrounded by the peripherally sealed cover layers, and a plurality of fiber strips evenly distributed in said air chamber and connected between said two cover layers.
 2. The ship structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said left and right garboard strakes are joined together, forming a bottom shell of the ship hull, said bottom shell having a substantially V-shaped front part for breaking the waves and a flat rear part for floating on water.
 3. The ship structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ship hull further comprises a lower stretcher plate horizontally connected between said left and right side strakes at a front side above said floor plate, and an upper stretcher plate horizontally connected between said left and right side strakes and spaced above said lower stretcher plate, said upper stretcher plate defining an opening for the mounting of a cabin, said upper stretcher plate and said lower stretcher plate being inflatable fabric plate members each comprising two cover layers peripherally sealed, an air chamber surrounded by the peripherally sealed cover layers, and a plurality of fiber strips evenly distributed in the air chamber and connected between the two cover layers.
 4. The ship structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air chambers of said left and right garboard strakes and said side strakes are respectively filled with a foam material.
 5. The ship structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a portable box arranged at a rear side of said ship hull, said portable box comprising a mount disposed on the outside, a drive unit steering control motor mounted at said mount of said portable box, a rotary wheel supported on said mount of said portable box and rotatable by said drive unit steering control motor, a drive unit supported on said rotary wheel, a propeller suspending below said mount of said portable box outside of said ship hull and rotatable by said drive unit to propel said ship hull on water.
 6. The ship structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein said drive unit comprises a cowling cowl, a fuel injection engine mounted inside said cowling cowl, a control unit, an air compressor operable by said fuel injection engine subject to the control of said control unit, and a pneumatic motor rotatable by said air compressor; said ship hull is equipped with a plurality of high pressure gas cylinders, said high pressure gas cylinders being accommodated in between said left and right garboard strakes and said floor plate for storing the high pressure gas produced by said air compressor and inflating the air chambers of said left and right garboard strakes and said side strakes.
 7. The ship structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein said drive unit further comprises a first valve connected between said pneumatic motor and said air compressor for the input of the high pressure gas produced by said air compressor into said pneumatic motor subject to the control of said control unit.
 8. The ship structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein said drive unit further comprises a second valve connected between said pneumatic motor and said high pressure gas cylinders and controlled by said control unit to let the high pressure gas produced by said air compressor be stored in said high pressure gas cylinders. 